Piping Design , How?

This is a Blog article on by James O. Pennock

Piping design is more than just knowing how to turn on the computer, how to find the piping menus and the difference between paper space and model space.

So, appropriately, what else does the designer need to know about piping design besides how to operate a keyboard and a mouse or connect a piece of pipe to a fitting?

Here is a list of the most basic of things that a good piping designer should know.

Thinking about every one of these items should become as natural as breathing for a good piping designer.

• Pipe, Fittings, Flanges and Valves – All designers need to know and understand the broad spectrum of items that make up the "vocabulary" of the piping language.

• Relationship of other Engineering groups – All designers need to know and understand the relationship, activities and contribution of all the other engineering and design groups on the project.

• Piping Execution – All designers must understand how piping design progress is linked to P&IDs, equipment vendor drawings, instrument vendor drawings, stress analysis and structural support design.

• Process Documents – All designers need to be able to read, understand and know how to use the two major documents produced by the Process Engineering team -the PFD and the P&ID.

• Process Variables – All designers must know and understand the four basic process variables: pressure, temperature, flow and level.

• Process Plant Equipment – All designers need to know and understand what the different types of equipment are.

• Equipment Operation and Internals– All piping designers need to understand the equipment process function and the equipment internals.

• Equipment piping – All piping designers need to know the right and the wrong way to pipe up different kinds of equipment and for maintenance/disassembly space requirements.

• Allowable pipe spans – All designers need to know and understand the span capabilities of pipe in the different schedules for a wide variety of common piping materials.

• Expansion of pipe – All piping designers must understand that they need to treat a piping system as though it is alive.

• Routing for flexibility – All piping designers must understand how to route pipe for flexibility.

• Weight and loads (live loads and dead loads) – All piping designers need to understand the effects of weight and loading.

• Standards and specifications – All piping designers need to understand the content and application of the client and engineering company standards and specifications used on the project.

• Vessel piping – All piping designers also need to understand about the connecting, supporting and guiding of piping attached to vessels (horizontal or vertical) and tanks.

• Rack piping – All piping designers need to understand that there is a logical approach to the placement of piping in (or on) a pipe rack and the setting of rack elevations.

• Expansion loops – All designer need to understand and be able to use simple rules and methods for sizing loops in rack piping.

• Cold spring/Pre-spring – All piping designers should understand the basics rules of cold spring and pre-spring.

• Design production methods – All piping designers need to be able to make all types of piping documents (sketches, layouts, detail piping plans, isometrics, etc) using different methods. These methods include first and most important, manually.

• Fabrication and Construction methods – All piping designers need to understand shop spool fabrication, modularization and field erection construction methods.

• Heat Tracing – All piping designers need to understand the purpose of process heat conservation, know the different methods.

• Deliverables – All piping designers need to understand the purposes of each of the piping deliverables, such as plot plans, key plans, piping plans and sections, and isometrics.

• Drawing Content – All piping designers must understand how to present their designs.

• Economics – All piping designers must be aware of economics.

Full Article: http://pipingdesigners.com/contents/blog/30-blog-1e-what-does-a-piping-designer-need-to-know.html